CHAPTER XVII
"Well, ma'am," resumed the commander, "I came to myself again at last,but when, how, or where, I really did not know, nor even what had beenthe matter with me; except that I lay on my back upon something orother softer than the planks, my head aching like to split, and sostupid, I couldn't take the trouble to choose amongst the strangenotions that came creeping over me. 'Twas pitch-dark, too, and chokinghot. The sole wish I had was for a drop of water; but there I stuck inthe same helpless plight, more like a nightmare than aught else; and asfor _time_, if it went by what I felt, why, I might have lain, then andbefore, long enough for one of the Seven Sleepers. First one fancy, andthen another, came looming up from over my brain, like a sail on thehorizon, till my head was full of it. That ugly rascal's story got holdof me, and I thought I was stowed away below in some abominable slaver;then I was the sick captain lying in my cot dreaming, with all as stilland dark as death. As my wits cleared, however, I began to hear plentyof sounds, as it were, buzzing and rustling and booming in my very ears,then far away again. Confused though I was, a horrid idea struck me as Itried to listen--that Finch and his understrappers had put me ashore inthe woods or handed me over to some of those villainous blacks with thefiled teeth; and the _Seringapatam_ must be gone, Heaven knew how long!
"Suddenly, as if to clinch my notion, I started for a moment at the loudcry of a bell-bird, as I thought at first; but, the next instant, a sortof a thick crust seemed to clear off my hearing, and I knew it was 'twobells' going on deck, so that I was still on board; after which aregular bustle got up of a sudden overhead. I heard people running upthe nearest ladder from below; cadets shouting and clattering,apparently with muskets and cutlasses; the creak of the davit-blocksletting down the boats, and the chief officer's voice alongside. Whatwith my broken head, though, and the want of air and water, I felt toosick to give them a thought. It wasn't long, either, before the wholeIndiaman seemed to be as quiet as a church, except one heavy pair offeet on the quarter-deck above; then that stopped as well, and I heardnothing but the dull sound of the tide through her thick outer-timbers,gurgling up and poppling along, like to make me mad for thirst. I put upmy hand to my head, and found my hair on one side all sticky, andcovered with cockroaches; but though the very touch of their bristlyfeelers made my blood creep, and the wretches began to dig with theirpincers into the wound, I was too weak to keep brushing them away asfast as they swarmed about it.
"It must have been rather some sort of swoon than a doze that I woke outof again, when I heard a man's voice not far off, through the stillnessof the 'tween-decks, reading aloud, which I soon made out to be MrKnowles's, the missionary's; and, from the key of it, it was evidentlythe Bible he was reading. In a little while he gave up, and anothervoice came in, that I knew still better. It was Violet Hyde's--lowenough, but so clear at times, that it seemed to come into the darkwhere I lay half-senseless, and afterwards I could even call back someof the very words; then it came to a stand, and I heard her two or threetimes apparently answering someone I couldn't hear. All at once, themissionary struck up the first note of a psalm-tune, and her lovelyvoice slid into it, till there was nothing in the whole ship, as itwere, but _that_--singing the old Evening Hymn--alone--such music, Ithought, never was on sea or land--when down from some opening above,out of heaven, you might have fancied, fell a chorus like the sound ofangels and cherubs joining in at the end, once and again; catching upthe air out of her sweet tongue, and drowning it in a way to ravishone's soul, till it sank into a hush in which you could hear themissionary's voice rise, as he prayed aloud, over the whispers of theladies and children stealing away from round the skylight--with theslight creak of the rudder, now and then, in its case abaft, and thetide bumping and tapping outside, from the deadwood at her counter tothe hollow planking amidships.
"As for me, at first blush I thought it all part of my queer visions,till somehow or other I began to revive a bit, and felt for the door ofthe place they had boxed me up into. However, it was fast enough, and assoon as I tried to stand upright, something over my head gave me a shovedown again--it being evidently one of the steward's store-rooms abaft ofthe cuddy, full of bags and such like lumber, where the best I could dowas to stretch myself on the heap of old canvas again, groaning fromsheer weakness and desperation. Just then I heard a light step comingclose past the door, out of the large cabin, and I gave another groan. Adress rustled, and the foot started to the other side of the passage.
"'For God's sake open the door!' said I, in a faint voice.'What--who--is there?' exclaimed Miss Hyde, anxiously; but my mouth wasso dry I couldn't answer her. Next moment she was trying the handle,though to no purpose; for a little after I caught the sound of herfootsteps hastening off, and once more my senses left me. It couldn'thave been more than a minute or two, however, for I heard themissionary's voice still praying beside Captain Williamson's cot, when agush of air suddenly revived me, and I sat up winking at a glare oflight, in which Violet Hyde's face seemed to be hovering brighter thanthe lamp she had in her two hands, as she stood and gazed at me betweenwonder and dismay; while the steward held the door only half open behindher, peeping in at me with one eye like a fellow watching a hyena in acage. 'Miss!--miss!' said he, trying to shove the door to again, 'takecare--he's a pirate, ma'am, he is! The chief officer'll blow me up forit, your ladyship!' 'Mr Westwood!' exclaimed she, pushing it wide inspite of him, 'what--what is this!--you are all over blood, Mr Westwood!Oh, are you wounded?--what can be--run, run for something,' said she tothe steward--'where is the surgeon?' 'The doctor's gone with the rest of'em, miss,' said he. With this I took hold of something to scramble up,bringing down a bag of cabin-biscuit over me, and got on my legs in themidst of the dust; but grim enough I must have looked, with my face likea North American Indian's, and the cockroaches sticking in my hair, as Istumbled out of the corner. The little Cockney of a steward seemed tothink me dangerous, for all I saw of him next moment was his stripedgingham jacket vanishing round a bulkhead aft. 'Oh,' stammered I,leaning against the doorpost, 'it's--it's nothing, after all--only--alittle water!' The truth was, my brain felt so confused still, that Ireally was not quite sure how the case stood--whether I hadn't in factbowsed up my jib too taut that night, and tumbled on my head, or kickedup some row or other; so I suppose I must have looked rather ashamed,which the young lady appeared to notice, by the expression of her faceas she moved towards the cuddy, and slipped quietly through one of thefolding-doors. 'Hush!' said she, gravely, holding up her finger, as shecame out again and closed it, carrying a couple of decanters and aglass; 'poor Captain Williamson seems asleep--he was removed there thisevening for air.' As I drank one tumbler of water after another, Ifancied the young lady watched me curiously; however, I had scarcequenched my thirst when my own ideas got clear enough, as well as mytongue, to give an offhand account of what had happened. Violet Hydestarted, and her voice faltered, as she said, 'Then--then you must havebeen shut up here all day--oh, how cruel of them! so hot, too! Oh, whata wonder you were not actually----' 'All day!' said I--'what day is it,then, Miss Hyde?' 'It is Sunday evening!' answered she, the tearsrushing somehow or other into her eyes. 'Oh, how glad I am that Ihappened to pass! But your head--what a dreadful wound you must havegot, Mr Westwood!' continued she; 'something must be done to it,_indeed_!'
"What the sweet young creature hesitated and blushed about for the firsttime, I never guessed; but I can't help thinking that anything short ofan angel would have laughed at the ridiculous figure I must have cut,with powdered biscuit added to the blood, the hair, and thecockroaches--although my worthy friend's handspike from behind theforemast had laid the bone bare, so that the bleeding saved it from alump. I hardly know how it came about, but, five minutes after, there Iwas sitting on the planks of the 'tween-decks, while the charming girlherself stooped over me with a basin in one hand and a sponge in theother--the muslin sleeves tucked half up off her two round white arms,as she began to wash the blood carefully off the place. I couldn't standit a minute,
however. To feel her fairy fingers soiling themselves insuch dirty work, for such a fellow as me, Ned Collins, made me shiverall over; so bolt upright I started, carrying away the sponge in theneck of my coat, and squeezing a teacupful of water down my back atevery wriggle--while my lovely sick-nurse stood with one pretty littlewrist out, betwixt alarm lest she had hurt me, and surprise at mylife-like condition. After giving my face a wipe, however, andswallowing a glass or two of wine, with some of the biscuit I hadknocked down, I felt wonderfully well, except for an ache at the top ofmy head. The next thing that occurred to me, of course, was to have myfriend the mate made aware of his mistake; but as for the curiousquietness of the Indiaman at that hour, even of a Sunday evening, Icouldn't understand it, and I looked for a cap to go on deck withimmediately. The young lady seemed to be looking up the after-hatchway,and listening, I thought, and the lady passengers could be heard talkingabout the poop; but when Violet Hyde turned round, and our eyes metagain, I caught an anxious expression in them that puzzled me. 'Do youthink it will be long before we shall hear them?' said she, next moment.'Who?--whom?' asked I, hastily. 'Oh!' said she, starting,'you could nothave known they had gone, Mr Westwood. Tell me, Mr Westwood,' said she,coming nearer to me, putting her hand lightly on my arm, and glancinginto my face, 'tell me, did you not know that that vessel was in theriver?' 'Vessel, Miss Hyde?' I said, looking at her steadily in turn.'It's all one riddle to me--what vessel do you mean, madam?' 'The--thepirate!' exclaimed she, breathlessly; and turning towards the hatchwayagain, while I stood eyeing her stupidly, all abroad, so to speak. 'Forheaven's sake, tell me what you mean, Miss Hyde!' said I, putting myhand to my head. 'Ah, but you look so white--you are not well yet, sir,'said she, softly. 'To think how all the passengers were amused, and evenpapa too, when they heard this morning of your being arrested asa--a----But nobody could know you were so hurt, Mr Westwood. Then whensome of the sailors came back, and said they had seen the French ship indisguise----' 'By Jupiter! the _brig_ they meant?' I broke out. 'Then,good heavens! they must have painted her lead-colour, and turned herback into a schooner! _That_ was she, for a thousand!' 'And, you know,yesterday morning, sir,' continued the young lady, '_you_ told me youknew our friends were there, instead of being lost, as we thought!'
"'Yes, yes!' said I, 'there must be some bad scheme at the bottom; butby morning we'll have a slap at them, for certain. For my part Ifeel----' 'Why,' said Miss Hyde, turning anxiously to me, 'almosteverybody in the ship has gone _already_. Whenever the truth wasdiscovered, there was such a confusion amongst the gentlemen and theofficers that they could not think of anything else; and, as soon as thesun had set, they all crowded into the boats and went away together, tosurprise the pirates in the dark.' 'Good God!' exclaimed I, in sheeramazement, and making toward the hatchway. 'Miss Hyde! _do_ you sayso!--How many were there then, ma'am?' I asked. 'Oh,' said she, quickly,'I am so glad there was such a number--five boats quite full, I believe.Not a single gentleman would stay, except little Tommy's father, who isupstairs--and papa was one of the first to get down into a boat with hisrifle. But do you not think,' added she, with somewhat of a tremble inher voice, 'do you not think the people in the French ship will yield,or at least give our friends up?'
"'I hope to goodness they may!' said I, turning away from the eagernessthose soft eyes of hers glittered with, as she leant out before thefaint glimmer through the cuddy-door, the light of the lamp in her handshining bright over her hair and her shoulders; while the gloomystillness of the whole ship, below, made me think of the voice that hadhailed us through the lagoon, and the same man's face--as I had no doubtnow it was--when I saw it aboard the brig at sea, before thethunder-squall came on. I almost fancied I saw Finch and _him_ meetingat the present moment, with the mate's awkward look as the Frenchman'ssword flashed across him--my fingers gripped together for the handle ofa cutlass, to go tumbling up amongst the men over the schooner'sbulwarks in the creek--when all at once another notion darted into myhead, to remind me where we were in the meantime; I ran to the companionand sprang up the stair on to the quarter-deck.
"It was a hot, still night; but the change from the closeness below tothe deck seemed to make quite a new man of one in an instant. I jumpedon the nearest carronade-slide, and looked round to see how the landlay, which at first was difficult enough to do. They had got theIndiaman fair afloat again, I found, a little more off the shore, andfarther down--the starboard gun I stood upon being, as I guessed by theshape of the trees, about opposite the mud fort, which Finch hadprobably been peppering at as he threatened, since the port was open,and two or three shot lying in the scuppers beside it. 'Twas somewherenigh-hand eight o'clock of the evening, I think, and quite black on thenearest bank--you couldn't even make out the top of the woods againstthe sky; but another cable-length would have served to open the lowerreach of the river, where it came brimming up full round the point withthe night flow, sending a floating sort of a glimmer along in the duskover against us. One could even pitch upon a line where it ran side byside with the heavy shadow that took in the ship, going across to theswampy-looking shore off our larboard side, and blackening awayup-stream, while the dim bubbles and eddies swept out of the one intothe other. I could just catch the low, deep roar of the sea more than amile off, muffled by the trees and mangroves on both sides between itand us; and, the tide having come almost to a standstill, you heard theripple against her bows get gentler and gentler, with a weak plash hereand there in the dark among the grass and sedge alongshore, which seemedto wake up a chirping mutter in the bushes--and at times you'd havethought something came wading out from the edge; till in a few minutesboth river and forest had sunk, as it were, into a sleep. The quieterthey got, however, the more uneasy I began to feel at the state I sawthings in upon deck; absolutely not a soul to be seen from wheel tobowsprit, except one man walking back and forward by himself on theforecastle, and giving a look now and then carefully enough over at thecable; Mr Brown being on the poop with his family and the knot ofladies, talking under their breath; while the old Scotch mate could beseen through the cabin skylight, leaning his bald crown over his twohands, under the lamp near the captain's cot, to listen to themissionary, as he sat gravely whispering and looking at him through hisspectacles.
"For my part, I hadn't a doubt but the ship had been watched from shoreall along; and there was no saying at present _who_ might be keeping aneye upon her, even if this affair of the French brig weren't to catch usin some deep trick or other. If it were really she, and lying where wecaught a glimpse of her the day before, 'twould take three or fourhours, at night, even to pull there and back again; but as for her beingan ordinary pirate, I had a strong notion she was no such thing, and thestranger I thought the whole matter throughout.
"As I peered over the bulwarks into the thick of the tall jungle, theshowers of fireflies came here and there flickering out from under thebig leaves, lighting up the green of them for a moment, and dancingacross a black mouth in the bank nearest us, like emerald sparks. Bythis time, too, the starlight was growing large out over the dusk, tillthe whole height of the sky had heaved itself above our upper spars,clear as crystal, and sprinkled full of soft silver points, thatgathered and got brighter as you looked. One could see the whole breadthof the river floating slowly between, with lazy brown swirls of currenttwisting and curling round the point, and the eddies rising in themiddle, to where the water glistened among the dark wet mangrove stems,or some oily swell near the edge went lipping in with the gleam of astar lengthened upon it. Hot and close though the night still was, whilethe rank smell of the mud came at times into our nostrils from one side,and of growing leaves from the other, yet it was pleasant enough afterbeing shut up for ever so many hours in a dark hole below.
"Neither did I think there was any fear of trouble from the nativeswhile this lasted; but the haze that seemed to be oozing out over themass of woods, with now and then a cool breath of air from up-river,showed what a fog we might expect as soon as the land-wind began to blowstrong
from inland. Sometimes I fancied I heard cries in the distanceamong the woods, over the croaking of the frogs which seemed to get upas one listened; then again I could make out the hollow booming of theAfrican tree-drum, with a chorus of horns and savage-like shouts,apparently filling up every break in the hum that rose off theground--far enough away, however, to satisfy me the blacks were onlymaking merry before turning in.
"As for Tom Westwood, he had plainly gone with the boats, clericalthough he was, which didn't go to set my mind greatly at rest, knowinghim to be one of your slap-dash fellows when roused; and, either way, itcouldn't do much good to a man hailing for a parson to be particularlyactive on boat-service. But you may easily conceive what a pitch one'sanxiety for the upshot rose to, at every whisper and hush of the woods,and every glimmer of the water far astern, where the upper reach couldjust be seen brimming pale out of the shadow, against a thick fringe ofmisty cane-clumps, topped with tall palms and cocoas--their stemswavering in the thin haze, and their dark crowns seemingly floating offabove it like heads coming away from the bodies, as the heavy blueland-fog began to gather like smoke away behind.
"The flow of tide having of course set the Indiaman's stern up-stream,the ladies on the poop could be seen clustered across the taffrail, withthe careful married gentleman in the middle of them, more dignified thanordinary, as they one and all strained their eyes into the dusk beforethem; when one of the men came down the poop-stairs behind me, and, onturning, I saw to my surprise that it was Jacobs, he being still moreastonished to see me on deck. I soon found, to my great relief too,that, what with the anchor-watch and some lads, there were still sevenor eight of the crew aboard, whom I advised him to get on deck and makethem keep a bright look-out--more especially as he was one of theboatswain's mates, and had charge of the watch at the moment; for, totell the truth, seriously speaking, I had more real fear, all along, ofsome attack from the negroes and Don Jose, than of the French craft they_would_ fancy a pirate, whatever might be her reason for stowing awayRollock and his companions--although I told Jacobs I had no doubt nowbut it _was_ actually she. 'Ay, ay, sir,' said Jacobs in a low voice,giving his trousers an uneasy hitch up, 'not a doubt on it, Mr Collins.Black Harry and his mates clapped eyes on her this forenoon, when theywent up for water--so they said, anyway!' 'What, Bob?' said I,starting--'was it _that_ scoundrel? Did they not see her then?' 'Well,sir,' replied Jacobs, 'as I gather, 'twas rather one of her boats theyfell ath'art of. You'll mind Harry was in the cutter that time youboarded the brig at sea, Mr Collins, a week or two 'gone--so, you see,he knowed one or two o' the crew at once; and in course, sir, comin'across one another hereaway, they'd make shift to have a talk, but noneon 'em ever guessed about our passengers bein' aboard of her, till----''Did the fellow himself think they were pirates, then?' asked I, moreanxiously than before--a shivering dread of I didn't know what beginningto creep on me, as I turned suddenly round to eye the river gloomingaway up from the starlight, through into the blue heaps of hazy forest.
'Why, sir,' answered Jacobs hastily, 'he's a desperate sort, is that'ere Foster, if it was only what I've heard him _say_, swinging soundasleep in 's hammock. I wouldn't tell as much otherways; but I tell yewhat it is, sir, my mind misgived me o' this here overnightboat-business! It's my sober notion, Leftenant Collins,' gravely addedhe, seeing I still looked anxiously to him--'it's my notion, if thatcraft's aught of a pirate, Harry Foster and more nor half of his watch'ud think no more o' joining her, on a chance, than _one_ on 'em did o'taking you that clip with a handspike this morning, sir! As for thishere brig, Master Ned, your honour,' continued he, 'what did she do,but, to my fancy, she's keeped a eye on us ever since we first fell foulof her?'
"'Jacobs! Jacobs!' I broke out directly, 'get every hand up on thefoc'sle at once, with everything like arms you can find--for God's sakelook sharp, and then bear a hand here to have the carronades fore andaft run in, and stuffed full of some old iron or other, as we can't havegrape!' Hurried as it was, I saw the whole thing--a regular deep-laidplot it seemed, too--and the first time I had seen light as to what thestrange brig could be after. Here had she dodged us, no doubt, forweeks; got hold of our friends by accident, which would give her a cluehow to find us anywhere during the rest of our voyage, as we were toostrong-handed for her _then_. 'Twas very likely they thought we shouldsuspect something, and follow wherever they could manage to lure theIndiaman--or else possibly they had run into the river the very same daywe did, and perhaps seen us out of the haze which hid the land from usthat morning; and _now_, if they had studied it for years, they couldn'thave contrived a cleverer trap than this that Finch and the passengershad run their heads into, with more than a dozen mutinous dogs, atleast, in their company. A prize like an East-Indiaman was worth takingsome trouble about, of course; while such villains as Foster and hismessmates, I knew, would fancy a Bengal nabob carried untold treasureswith him, and it was plain to me they had something like anunderstanding with the stranger's crew. 'Ay, ay, sir,' said Jacobs, inanswer to me; 'hows'ever, the first mate left word with Mr Macleod he'dsend up a rocket and a blue-light in case o' a good success, or elsecome back with the boats.' 'Heaven help them, Jacobs!' said I, taking ahasty turn or two, 'for _we_ can't. But there _is_ something more horridin the matter than I fancied--only all we can do is to look to ourselvesand the ship! Harkye, though, Bob,' added I, following him; 'bring upthe beef-kid, will ye? I feel terribly sharp-set, notwithstanding.'
"I came back and looked from the quarter-deck down the skylight, wherethe second mate still sat with his elbows on the table, apparentlylistening to the missionary; when the good man suddenly took off hisspectacles and peered under Macleod's broad fists, as an undeniablesnore broke out between them; then he glanced toward the captain, whoseemed dozing in his cot, raised his mild eyes for a moment through theopening up to the blue starry sky swimming out above, put on hisspectacles again, and taking up the Bible, he leant back in his chair toread, as if there were neither pirates, savages, nor aught a man needdread, in the world.
"'Strange!' I thought. 'Yet, after all isn't there a soul below there,ere a few hours, will go higher aloft than the smallest star thattwinkles over the main-truck yonder? And who knows how many of usmay----' However, I saw Jacobs hurrying aft again, and the rest comingup out of the fore-peak; so hard to work we set for the best part of anhour, which it took us to get the guns on deck made serviceable, and tofind powder enough. Not a cutlass or pistol was left on board, so we hadonly two or three axes and pikes, with a rusty musket or two, andhandspikes, certainly, to spare.
"As soon as we had taken breath, 'Now, Jacobs, my man,' said I, 'sendout the boys to loose the jibs and fore-topsail--let's hoist the yard,too, with the sail clued up--all ready for slipping her cable at fiveminutes' warning! It can't do any harm--and I've no more doubt,' said I,'than if I saw it, we shall have that schooner coming down with the ebbupon us!' 'Tide'll turn in little better nor an hour, sir,' said Jacobs,when we had got this quietly done. 'And by that time the breeze will beblowing with it,' said I, 'bringing down the fog too, however--but keepa bright look-out aloft for the signal, Jacobs! If you see _it_, or theboats, good and well. But I tell you what it is, Jacobs,' added I,firmly, 'should it be the schooner instead, that instant we must cut andrun for it! I shall carry the ship out to sea, if I can, as I broughther in--where we may have a better chance with her in the morning, orget clear off, perhaps!'
"There being no more we could do, and having instructed Jacobs to godown and rouse Mr Macleod himself if he saw the signal, I kept stealingback and forward on one side of the quarter-deck alone. The river wasstill as a mill-pond, except where it trembled in long streaky gleamsfrom the sky, else I should at once have slipped cable and begun to godown, leaving the boats to come after us, if they did come, as they bestcould. There wasn't a breath of air yet, either, save what seemed nowand then to waft out of the thick woods, and to bring the wholewhispering buzz of them stifled together along the face of the water,with the heavy scent of the aloes and traile
rs on the bank, meeting thewarm steam that crept across from the mangroves on the opposite shore. Ahundred notions ran through my head, as I walked, of what might happen:whether the boats would miss the schooner altogether, and she drop downupon us in the meantime, either by the creek or the river--or whetherFoster and his crew of Wapping blackguards would carry out what I'd nodoubt they had at heart.
"But at any rate, as for a set of passengers and merchant sailorscatching an armed schooner asleep, with one like that Frenchman in her,I had his fierce dark face too much before me whenever I thought of himto fancy the thing for a moment. That _that_ man was in command of thestranger craft, and had some scheme in hand he would stir heaven andearth to carry out, unless you ground his head to powder, was an ideathat came shivering sharp into me as I kept watching the dark mouth ofthe creek astern, and the glimmering reach beyond--looking almost to seethe schooner's bowsprit shoot out of one of them, tide or wind thoughthere was none. Frigate to frigate in a breeze, in fact, I should haveminded my weather-gage pretty cautiously with _him_, if a seaman he was;but if he were bent on having the old _Seringapatam_ at present, byheaven! what I feared was worse than either plunder or walking theplank--seeing there was a prize the judge had left on board, for which Ifelt a free-cruising captain would give all the treasures that fellowslike Foster might think an Indian nabob had in his portmanteau.
"In fact, I saw Violet Hyde moving restlessly, two or three times, nearthe break of the poop, as she watched the dim opening astern, while herlady's maid kept close behind her, afraid to stay below; and waiting,idle as I was, I almost began for the time to forget everything elsethat might be going on, at thought of _her_ being only a few feet off,with no one by but the servant-maid. The touch of her soft hand aboutmy head an hour ago came back on me, and the drowsy creeping kind ofhush of the tropical night seemed to bewilder my senses at every rustleof her dress--I shan't even deny that the notion seized me forhalf-a-minute, were the schooner to make prisoners of the boats' crews,how I might carry the Indiaman out to sea, and go Lord knows where withher. Then the idea of defending her, and saving her, made one wild withexcitement--I felt as if I had the strength of twenty in me, almostlonging to see the pirates' faces, especially the dark Frenchman's, andto wait till they came close on, when we could let drive into them,expecting to find us helpless. I made up my mind that Mr Brown there,and the missionary too, should work at a gun as soon as they werewanted--when, trip, trip, I heard her footstep coming down thepoop-stair behind me, and stood trembling and tingling to my veryfinger-ends.
"'Mr Westwood,' said her low sweet voice, and I turned round. 'Yes,madam,' I answered, gulping down my breath. 'Have you heard--do you seeanything?' 'They've scarce had time yet,' said I; 'of course the morecautious they are the better!' 'Oh!' continued she, her hands claspingtogether, and the shawl falling half off her head to one shoulder--'oh,if there should really be bloodshed at this moment--the river looks sofearfully gloomy and silent! How is it possible to bear this suspenseany longer, sir? If we could _only_ think they were not pirates afterall!' 'Miss Hyde,' replied I seriously, as she seemed to wish me tospeak, 'I can't have any doubt in my own mind what they are!' 'How!_what?_ for mercy's sake!' exclaimed she, gazing earnestly at me. 'Youmusn't suppose all pirates to be bloody murdering ruffians, Miss Hyde,'said I hastily. 'There's one man belonging to that craft yonder, _I'm_sure, if he saw--if he stood where I stand just now, so near anangel----' The young lady shrank back with a startled look; but I wasn'tmaster of myself longer, and out I broke: 'For God's sake forgive me,but I--I'd serve you like a slave--_dearest_ Miss Hyde. I'll stand up tothe last drop of my blood before----' 'Mr West--wood!' was the answer,hanging betwixt surprise and terror. But I burst out with, 'Confoundthat name!--my name is _not_ Westwood, madam, and I'm no relation at allto the gentleman in India. I never said so, but your fathermistook----' 'Who then--what are you--what design have you?' was herbroken question; and she put one hand on the bulwarks as if for support,looking round from me to the woods, the river, and back to the ship andme again, so pale and terrified-like, that I could have cursed myselffor my stupidity.
"'Good heaven, Miss Hyde!' said I, lowering my voice, 'I do believe youtake _me_ for one of the stranger's crew?' 'No--no!' faltered Violet;'I--I--but the suspicions I heard to-day--you--you frightened me, sir!''Surely,' said I, ready to kneel at her feet, '_you_ must have known thetruth of the matter, Miss Hyde. Why, here have I come afloat at a day'swarning, bound for the East Indies--and all because I saw _you_ thatevening at the garden-door! Oh, for kindness' sake, Miss Hyde, pardon myboldness--but I couldn't let slip the only chance of telling you--ittook me unawares, in fact! I'm not such a fool as to fancy that such afellow as I can have the least hope in the world; but--but----' Shestood quite still, not uttering a word, with her face turned from me,but I could notice the colour was all come back to her cheek, andmore--and saw the shining falls of her loose hair heaving on the bosomof her white muslin dress, as it rose and fell gently. I leant over thebulwarks and ventured to look half-round; when, oh heavens! how did myheart quicken in me to see the least bit of a smile come over her lips,though her eyes were dropped toward the gun close by. I can't say what Imight have been bold enough to do, in the whirl of the moment--whensuddenly she started, drew the shawl up from her shoulders again, andseemed to recollect the whole case of the boats with a shudder, as sheglanced wildly again up the reach astern of us, bringing me to myself,too, at the same time; and I stood looking with her, intent to mark thefirst turn of the tide.
The Green Hand: Adventures of a Naval Lieutenant Page 20
